Telecom associations including Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), and Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India (Auspi) urged the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in a letter to not implement its order of compensating consumers for call drops until the SC provides clarifications/orders on March 10, reports Economic Times. After failing to get an interim stay order, the two associations on behalf of telcos including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Reliance Communications, and Tata Teleservices told TRAI through a letter that their request is based on an update “from their legal counsel (Agarwal Law Associates) on the proceedings in Supreme Court on March 4”. The SC on March 4 instructed telcos to ask TRAI to delay the deadline (of March 7) for compensating consumers facing call drops, after refusing to pass an interim stay order for the same. On Februaury 29. The Delhi HC upheld an order passed by TRAI which stated that all telecom operators will have to pay Re 1 to compensate consumers in case of call drops. Following the Delhi HC ruling, TRAI specified March 7 as the deadline to submit to submit a compliance report regarding compensation for consumers facing call drops. Telcos, COAI, AUSPI objections: It is to be noted that the regulation was originally set to be effective from January 2016; telco operators opposed the decision and went on to file a case with the Delhi HC along with support from industry associations, Auspi and COAI, challenging the order and calling for a stay on the…
